How to Prepare for and Survive Inclement Weather While Overlanding

Graeme Bell / October 26th, 2023

Lead photograph by Michnus Olivier, Piki Piki Overland

More than a decade ago, we camped in a large wooded campsite in Punta del Este, a coastal town in Uruguay. Despite extensive overland travel in Africa, we were relative rookies. It was our first night in South America, the Defender had been released from the port of Montevideo the day before, and the family had flown over from South Africa two weeks before that. Our setup was simple and old school—a sizable four-sleeper rooftop tent (the type most commonly used on travel trailers), an annex that created a living space, and a rear load system. The evening had passed quietly with an asado (barbecue) and a glass of wine to celebrate the true beginning of our grand adventure, but later we were rudely awoken by the sound of flapping canvas and heavy raindrops. Little did we know that we were about to head into a three-day hurricane that lashed throughout the region and eventually downed trees in the woods beside us. No one warned us that a storm was impending (if they did, we likely did not understand them), and in the excitement of the last few days, we had neglected to check the weather forecast. The hurricane battered us mercilessly with only a brief respite as the eye of the storm brought a wet blue sky and pale sun. On the last day, as trees began to fall around us, we admitted defeat and sought refuge.

Over the years, we have suffered numerous encounters with severe weather and have learned a few hard-earned lessons.

Photo by: Michnus Olivier, Piki Piki Overland

Prepare for the Worst

When planning a route, consider the weather you will most likely encounter and equip your vehicle accordingly. From sand storms and heat waves to blizzards and hurricanes, seasonal extremes are generally predictable, and a well-prepared traveler is a safe traveler. For instance, for the winter months, ensure you have sufficient winter clothing (layers, boots, gloves, and headgear) and bedding. Imagine that whatever heating source you have will fail and that the vehicle might suffer a terminal breakdown somewhere remote. The same applies to the summer months, but consideration needs to be made for cooling (shade, fans, hats, sunscreen) and hydration. The most common yet simultaneously unpredictable weather system is the summer thunderstorm, which will batter and drench your camp or pepper your windscreen with hail. Regardless of the season, high winds often present the most significant threat, and your vehicle should be equipped accordingly, preferably with an option to sleep inside.

Keep an Eye On the Weather Forecast

Modern weather forecasting is generally reliable, and there are many online sources to choose from, depending on where you are. We all have smartphones, and internet availability is expanding rapidly to the most remote areas of the planet. A regional 10-day calculation will provide relatively accurate information, and you should plan accordingly. Mountainous and “wet” regions tend to be less predictable, forecasts are less precise, and weather conditions can vary significantly over short distances due to elevation fluctuations, wind patterns, and localized storms. In hurricane-prone areas such as Central America, if your smartphone location is turned on, you will likely receive warnings of impending storms, which you would be wise to heed. Chatting with locals when stocking up on supplies and filling up with fuel is a good idea, as they know the weather patterns well and may have information or insight that a forecasting app does not.

Weather apps can be of great use, but, like with most things, some are better than others. Also, why use a weather app or service when you could ask Google? Bear in mind that each weather app has access to varying sources of model data; therefore, predictions may differ from one app to another for the same location. In general, 10- or 7-day forecasts are most useful for us: we just want to know if it will be raining or blistering hot all week, and that information will inform us whether we head to the mountains (for the cool) or the beach or to escape a cold front. A quick check of the weather app in the morning should see you right for the rest of the day, and if you need to know how warm, wet, or cold it is after that, stick your head out the window. In general, the meteorological apps and services will advise the up-to-the-minute and forecasted temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, cloud coverage, tides, and wave height, and some are available offline.

Photo by: Luisa Bell

AccuWeather is widely reported as the most reliable weather app, but the website is clunky and full of pop-ups, while the app wants to know your political affiliation, shoe size, and what you had for dinner three weeks ago. Also, it is not free, and the predictions would need to be significantly more accurate than other free apps to warrant an investment.

The Weather Channel website and app provide all the usual weather information with a smattering of weather-related news, a cloud break of advertisements, and a host of clickbait articles—the Buzzfeed of weather apps.

The Windy.app is recognized by the World Meteorological Organization as the best sports and outdoors app. Windy is a professional weather app created for sports, surfing, fishing, sailing, and general outdoor fun. The user experience is mid-way between The Weather Channel and Wind Guru.

Wind Guru is the weather service of choice for surfers and kite surfers with engineering degrees and a deep love of charts and pure, raw, precise data. Wind Guru is unapologetically geek-centric and will naturally appeal to nerds who don’t need a white smile and a green screen to decipher which way the wind blows or will blow.

When Inclement Weather Strikes: Take Evasive Action

The severity of the predicted or experienced weather should determine the level of evasion, from seeking a highway overpass to shelter from a storm to changing direction entirely to settling down for a few days in a hotel, Airbnb, or the most protected campsite. Even when on a very tight budget, it is better to seek the shelter of brick and mortar than to try and outlast a severe storm, risking expensive damage to the vehicle or harm to yourself. However, finding structural shelter is often not an option, and you may have to ride out the storm in the open.

In our experience, the wind is the most constant threat regardless of season (hard-side campers fare much better than canvas). Finding a windbreak to camp behind can be a solution, but the wind will be sneaky and unpredictable and may change direction after sunset (most common on the beach and in deserts). Wind can topple trees and rip canvas, pollute the air with dust, and keep you up all night; parking broadside to the wind will only make matters worse. Nose to the wind is usually the best option. Camping high and dry is the goal, and it is best to avoid sheltering under swaying trees or in a dry river bed prone to flash floods. No matter how tempting it may be, do not camp below the coastal high water mark, as storms at sea might cause large waves and extraordinarily high tides.

Photo by: Graeme Bell

Prepare Camp

The weather may change suddenly, and sometimes there is no option but to shelter in place, especially if camping off-grid far from civilization. In anticipation of a storm, pack away all camping equipment, extinguish the campfire (high winds and embers can lead to catastrophe; some storms bring no significant rain), secure the tent, affix or remove the rain flap, close the awning, take the pooches for a quick pee, move the vehicle if necessary, dig a drain, cut down overhanging branches, close the windows, and open the vents. Please do not wait until it is too late, running around outside in the elements, getting drenched while chasing a flying chair and a runaway dog who is petrified of lightning.

When camping in a region prone to nightly storms, it is best to secure the camp before going to bed, even if the sky is clear and flickering with stars. Losing your towels, shoes, or favorite chair or having the awning break and collapse due to a sudden storm is frustrating and expensive.

Photo by: Michnus Olivier, Piki Piki Overland

Stay Put, Be Calm, But Quit If You Can

It is a horror movie cliché—instead of staying inside where it is safe, a young and attractive idiot will head outside where whichever creature or psychopath the writer dreamed up will lob the disappointed actor’s head off after a dramatic musical score and a breathless, stumbling scramble. When you find yourself sitting in your camper being lashed by a storm, hunker down and wait it out. Try not to scream with every flash of lighting or every clap of thunder; this helps no one and only worsens the situation. Play a game of cards, listen to an audiobook if you can, enjoy a snack, and periodically peer at the solid or canvas walls of the camper with a furrowed brow of concern (this action, without doubt, affects the course of the storm). With all that said, sometimes there is an option to leave the camper and take shelter in a nearby building or to drive a few miles down the road and check into a motel, hotel, or farmer’s barn—every situation varies. A calm head with a logical plan will make good decisions. Nothing is as important as your health and safety and that of your traveling companions.

Deal With the Aftermath

After an exceptional weather event, you will likely have to deal with the aftermath, be that a vehicle strewn with leaves and debris; a soaking wet tent, bedding, and clothing; or a vehicle covered in snow from a blizzard or dust from a sandstorm. It may be that the tent was torn by the wind or a window broken by a falling branch or golf-ball-sized hail.

Chances are very good that you will want to leave the area as soon as possible, but you will first need to tidy up, repack, repair what you can, and ensure that the vehicle is ready and able to leave. The route out may be blocked, and you will need to dig, saw, or winch to clear the road. If your vehicle has been prepared for such a situation, you will have all the tools at your disposal.

After experiencing serious weather—especially when we traveled with a canvas roof tent—we feel the need to book into a cottage and spend a few days relaxing and cleaning, asking ourselves why we didn’t reserve the little house before the tempest, saving ourselves the displeasure of the storm and the effort of the cleanup. Yes, that’s right, every situation is unique, and while we try to stay informed and make the best decisions, life on the road has ways of throwing surprises and obstacles in our path. It is the unpredictability of the elements that can lead to a grand adventure.